


Nothing Holds a Candle to You

by astudyinfic



Series: A December of Ty and Zane [8]
Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Genre: Candle Light, M/M, Romance, Sappy, Slow Dancing, utter fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 19:15:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16918773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: Some 'time away from home' spent with good friends in Colorado, leads to a romantic evening for Ty and Zane.Day 8:Illuminate





	Nothing Holds a Candle to You

Desiring some time away from work (decidedly not a _vacat-_ , they agreed on that long ago), Ty and Zane took up Kelly’s offer to join him and Nick out at the cabin for the week between Christmas and New Years.  Christmas in West Virginia, a week in Colorado, and then to the ranch for New Years; it was a whirlwind of travel but one they sorely needed. Since Miami, getting away had become more difficult.  The bookstore, the Company, and the cats kept their days full. Neither would have it any other way but it did get exhausting.

On the third day of their trip, with Ty and Nick on the couch, yelling at each other over the Pats and Ravens game, the snow finally brought down a branch that took out the power to the cabin.  “Should have seen that coming,” Kelly muttered to Zane as the other two yelled about missing the game before adding a little louder, “You would think they were missing the Broncos game or something else that was actually important.”  That warranted a barrage of insults from the couch. Zane shook his head, wondering what compelled him to choose this as his life.

But even in the fading daylight, Zane could clearly see Ty’s face as he argued with his two best friends and he knew there was never a choice.  Ty was it for him and had been since he first smiled at Zane during the case in New York all those years ago. Ty’s eyes alight with passion; it was something Zane would never, ever get tired of.  

With the power out, cold would settle in quickly and Zane preferred to _not_ freeze if it was within his power to do so.  He moved to build a fire in the fireplace, leaving the rest of them to their debate.  Sports never really interested him growing up, and only followed baseball now because Ty made it clear it would be a dealbreaker if Zane hated it.

He was pretty sure his husband was joking.  

Maybe.

It took a while before the fire burned hot in the hearth but it eventually caught and Zane knelt there, making sure it was well fueled and warming himself in the process before he stood, backing into a solid chest and strong arms that wrapped around him.  “Well done, darlin’,” Ty purred in his ear.

Zane turned in Ty’s arms, wrapping his own behind his husband’s neck.  “It was either that or risk getting involved in an argument between the three of you.  I think I would prefer freezing to that.”

“But you would have supported me if you had to, right?  We both know the Pats and the Broncos suck.”

Ty looked so hopeful, Zane couldn’t find it in him to make a wisecrack at his expense.  So he kissed Ty chastely on the lips then nodded. “Of course I would, doll.” Eyes locked on one another, they stayed close, lost to everything but the love they shared.  Only after a few moments passed did Zane blink and furrow his brow. “It is a lot quieter all of a sudden?”

A moment later, heavy steps and shared giggles echoed up the stairs.  “Apparently they found common ground in the Broncos versus Patriots debate,” Ty said with a laugh.  

Neither man considered following Nick and Kelly upstairs.  There were some things you didn’t need to see your friends doing.  He shook his head with a sigh, rolling his eyes as something thumped above them.  “Come on, Lone Star. I’m pretty sure he has candles around here someplace.”

Between the trees and the long nights of December in Colorado, darkness settled in long before they managed to find them and while they could have called upstairs to ask Kelly where they were, neither even considered it.  Kelly and Nick rarely got to see one another, still working out how to live in two places at once, so Ty and Zane agreed that while on this ‘time away from home’ they would make sure the couple had all the privacy they needed.

"Ha!" Ty called out, opening a drawer in the kitchen.  He handed some to Zane and the two of them went around the room, setting up the candles and lighting them, slowly illuminating the room in a soft glow.  

With the snow outside and only the candles and fire inside, Zane wondered if they'd ever been in a more romantic situation.  (Scotland was close, aside from the people dying all around them). Ty seemed to agree because he held out a hand to Zane, that soft smile Zane loved so well lighting up his husband's face.  "Dance with me?"

"There's no music," Zane argued, even as he allowed himself to be pulled in to Ty's arms.  If he could choose one place to be for the rest of his life, in the arms of his husband would win, hands down.  The stood, chest to chest, holding one another close. The gentle scratch of Ty's beard against his cheek made Zane smile and lean closer so that their heads were pressed together.

Ty began to sway, humming a song under his breath, something familiar that Zane recognized but could not name.  The gentle thrum of his husband's voice against his ear, the familiar scent that was uniquely Ty filling his nose, and the feel of strong muscles under his hands and around him, Zane let his eyes close and soaked in the sensation that was simply Ty.

With all the chaos of their lives, they always found time for one another, often dancing in their living room, or cuddling on the couch, whenever they had a chance.  Zane never experienced a relationship like this one and both of them knew how lucky they were. He saw something similar in his in-laws. Earl and Mara were deeply in love but even they couldn't quite compare to what he had with Ty.  It was deeper, two souls bound in the most complex of ways.

The journey it took for them to get where they were now was as complicated as they were and Zane knew the bond between them was forged with the fire they went through to be together.  It was one thing after another until the only thing that either of them could be sure of was the love that they shared.

And at times, even that didn't seem to be enough.

"You are thinking awfully hard, darlin'," Ty drawled, pulling Zane from his thoughts.  He turned his head to nuzzle gently against Ty's cheek, drawing comfort from him even here, when the worst thing that could happen was they walked upstairs at the wrong time.  

He smiled, feeling Ty's cheeks pull back to smile in response.  "Nothing bad, I promise, baby. Just thinking about us." 

Ty pulled away just enough for that they could look each other in the eye.  The candlelight did something to Ty's eyes, making them sparkle, the colors swirling in the dim glow.  Even now, Zane marveled at how beautiful his husband was, how lucky he was that someone like Ty loved him. 

"I love you, Zane.  I love you so damn much."  

He didn't know who moved first and frankly, Zane didn't care.  Ty's lips pressed lightly to his, the softest of kisses before they pulled back to look at one another.  An unspoken conversation passed in the blink of an eye and their lips met once more. Full of passion but not demanding like so many of their kisses often were, this one managed to be soft while still conveying everything they felt for each other.  Ty's tongue traced the seam of Zane's lips and he granted entrance immediately. 

The fire crackled, the wind blew through the branches outside, and some unsettlingly moans drifted down from the lofted bedroom above.  Not the most romantic of soundtracks, but theirs was not the most romantic of love stories. But it was their’s and that was what mattered.

When the kiss ended, they resumed their dance.  It wasn't a tango like Zane wanted all those years ago on the cruise ship.  It wasn't a waltz or anything even remotely difficult. Just two men, holding each other close and swaying to the music only they could hear.  Because over the top of all those other noises, what Zane heard more than anything else was his husband's voice, singing softly to him. Sometimes they were songs he recognized, sometimes songs Ty made up while they danced.  But always, it was that beloved voice, the one that pulled him through some of his darkest moments, the one that said the vows that would forever be the most important words Zane ever heard.

The candles burned low, the dance slowed and soon enough, they went to bed, safe and content in the love they shared.  The fire kept the cabin warm and neither had any trouble drifting to sleep, the nightmares both still suffered from on occasion kept away by his husband's presence beside him.  

* * *

The next morning Kelly and Nick found them still asleep.  "Leave them alone, Nicko. I'll go turn on the generator and get breakfast going."  Kelly slipped out the door, laughing when Nick followed his fiance out, obviously upset about the deception.

"Generator?  You couldn't have said something last night?  I missed the game because of you!"

Inside, Zane chuckled as Ty woke up already ranting.  "He had a generator? I'm going to kill Doc." 

"No, you're not.  Besides, it will be more fun this way when Nick finds out the Ravens won."  

Ty's delight was infectious, and Zane grinned as his husband rolled on top of him.  "And how, Lone Star, do you know that?"

"Technology is a great thing, Meow Mix," Zane said with a laugh, holding up his phone with the final score still visible.  "I'm sure you will take great delight in telling him."

Ty kissed him and Zane dropped the phone, far more interested in these events than any football game.  "You're a devious man, Zane Garrett."

"And you love me for it, Ty Grady."

"Yes I do, darlin'.  Yes, I do."

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on [tumblr](http://astudyinfic.tumblr.com), [pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.io/astudyinfic) or [twitter](http://twitter.com/astudyinfic)


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